Mike: The British Museum’s Legendary Feline Guardian

The British Museum once maintained a unique staff of ‘house cats’ to protect its invaluable collections, a practice dating back to at least 1894. These felines served a critical role in pest control, effectively staving off rats and mice, and likely offered comforting companionship to nightwatchmen. However, the program faced challenges; some cats were antisocial or unhygienic, and by the late 1950s, their numbers swelled to over 100 strays, many exhibiting feral tendencies and causing damage, as exemplified by ‘Black Jack’ sharpening claws on precious newspaper volumes.

Among these working cats, Mike, a tabby kitten brought to the museum in 1908, rose to legendary status. Adopted by Keeper of Egyptian antiquities, E. A. Wallis Budge, Mike quickly proved his worth. He was famously trained by an older house cat to “point” and capture pigeons, earning his daily mutton and milk. Mike also gained renown for his fearless defense of the main gate, chasing away dogs by dramatically increasing his perceived size. His distinctive personality, including a notable aversion to women attempting to pet him, made him a beloved, if sometimes prickly, fixture.

Mike’s dedication spanned two decades. Even after Budge’s retirement, he ensured Mike’s upkeep. Mike himself “retired” in 1924 but remained at his post until his death in 1929 at nearly 21, garnering significant media attention. While other cats, such as Maisie, Pippin, and Poppet, followed, concerns about feral behavior and damage in storerooms ultimately led to the gradual phasing out of the British Museum’s house cat program by the late 1970s. Mike’s legacy, however, endures as a testament to these unique, living guardians.

(Source: https://londonist.com/london/history/mike-the-cat-british-museum)